Why won't Vito Fossella support our troops: 306 Days

It has been 306 days since HR 2702 has been introduced in Congress and Vito Fossella has yet to co-sign the bill. I already wrote up what the bill is about last week in the first post on this entitled; Why won't Vito Fossella support our troops?

Today I want to focus on squashing any claims that this is a partisan bill being pushed by Democrats as a reason why Fossella is refusing to offer his support. In the immediate vicinity of Fossella and his Congressional district these local Republican members of Congress have co-signed the bill:

- Peter King (NY-03)
- Chris Shays (CT-04)
- Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02)
- Mike Ferguson (NJ-07)

Even nationally there are many conservative Republicans who understand the importance of this bill and have agreed to co-sign this and support our troops as they return home. A very quick look turns up;

- Don Young (AK-AL)
- Jon Porter (NV-03)
- Tim Murphy (PA-18)
- Ginny Brown-Waite (FL-05)
- Shelley Moore Capito (WV-02)

So this is not a partisan issue. The question then remains why won't Vito Fossella support our troops?

Why won't Vito Fossella support our troops?

Vito Fossella has thus far not signed onto HR 2702 the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2007. The bill is the House version of Sen. Webb's Senate Bill 22 by the same name. It is referred to as the post 9/11 G.I. Bill. Via Senator Webb's website;

Under the legislation (S.22 in the Senate, H.R.2702 in the House), returning service members could earn up to 36 months of benefits, equivalent to four academic years, which would include payment of tuition, books and fees, as well as a $1,000 a month living stipend for those veterans whose military service qualifies them for the program.

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“As someone who has served our country, I can tell you that the current Montgomery G.I. Bill is not adequate. This is a peacetime bill, and we must expand it to accommodate our men and women returning from overseas. There is no better way to support our troops than to ensure that they re-acclimate into daily life seamlessly and that they have a bright future ahead of them. A comprehensive G.I. bill, like the one we are introducing today, is a way to achieve this.” said Congressman Christopher P. Carney, who serves as a Lt. Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve.

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“Once an enlistment enticement, educational assistance has now become a transition necessity. This legislation is the right thing to do for those who are willing to take up arms and defend this great nation, something less than one percent of Americans are willing to do,” said Frank Yoakum, SGM (ret.), Legislative Director, Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS).

“Education is an expensive endeavor; many veterans can not afford to use the current G.I. Bill. The measure proposed by Senator Webb and Congressman Scott is an investment in our troops, an investment in our veterans, and an investment in our nation,” said Eric Hilleman, Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).

We often hear Rep. Vito Fossella claim support of the troops and use that phrase to demean attempts by his opponents to bring an end to this war. When it comes down to it though it is Rep. Vito Fossella who is serving in Congress and failing to support our troops. Why has he refused to co-sign onto this bill for ten months now? Maybe he believes as long as the war continues our troops will not be home to utilize these benefits.